When Will It Stop?
by Her-Imaginarium
Summary: Peyton is confronted by the knowledge of her birth mother returning to Tree Hill. Torn between the memory of the woman she thought to be her mother and this new woman who is her mother, Peyton struggles with her own identity.
1. Morning Rituals

**Title:** When Will It Stop?

**Arthur:** Polia

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters from either show.

**Pairing:** Peyton/Trey

**Rating:** Mature

**Summary:** Peyton is confronted by the knowledge of her birth mother returning to Tree Hill. Torn between the memory of the woman she thought to be her mother and this new woman who _is_ her mother, Peyton struggles with own identity. What happens when a stranger enters her life?.

**Author's Note:** This fic isn't finished and it hasn't had a beta so apologies if it sometimes seems a bit here and there... when I fix it up properly, I will repost it. Also, this fic is set around the begging of S3 of OTH, Ellie is in Tree Hill and Trey has just left the OC. One last thing, I know I am writing about US shows, but being from Australia I have written, "Mum" instead of "Mom". You'll see little differences like that. Hope you don't mind.

**Chapter One. – Morning Rituals**

Peyton spends the morning sitting at her mother's grave drawing. This has become a ritual over the last few years, but recently the visits have become more frequent. It's as if she is looking for answers and, hopping the longer she stays the more chances she has of finding these answers.

Peyton puts down her pen for a moment to look at what she has drawn so far. In a dark illustrative way, Peyton has drawn side profiles, from the shoulders up, of the two woman who claim to be her mother, standing back to back. She stares intently at her drawing, a tear escapes her eye. Peyton once again picks up her pen and continues to draw, this time sketching the word MUM?.

Since starting back at college, Karen had arranged with Debb and Haley to each take in turns of each opening up the café. On the days where Karen didn't have early classes, she would open her café and today was one of those days.

Stepping out of her car, Karen glanced at her watch and saw that it was 8:30 am. This gave her just enough time to set everything up, sit down and have a coffee before opening up the café.

Turning the corner, Karen noticed a young man with a duffel bag sitting on the ground, leaning against the doors to her café. He seemed to be sleeping. At first Karen didn't know what to do, this sort of thing had never happened before. She walked closer. He looked tired, Karen wondered where he was from. He definitely wasn't from Tree Hill, she had never seen him before and Tree Hill wasn't a big town.

Finally she decided to wake him. Bending down so that she was face level with him, she reached out her left arm and placed her hand on his arm and gently whispered, "Excuse me."

The dreams were coming in rapid flashes. They were always the same. Whenever Trey would close his eyes he would see himself forcing himself onto Marissa, then Marissa striking him in the face with a log, then Ryan attacking him in his apartment, then seeing himself lifting up the telephone to smash into his brother's face, then feeling the gunshot rip through his chest, then seeing the blood drip from his T-shirt.

This time was no different, except that Trey didn't get to the part where he gets shot this time. Instead he felt a soft hand on his arm and a soft voice whisper something to him.

Trey's eyes shot open and quickly looked around to see where he was and who had awoken him. He had accidentally fallen asleep in front a café called Karen's Café. After a few seconds he remembered where he was.

Trey had come off the bus from Orange County, arriving in Tree Hill very early in the morning. He thought he better wait for this café to open, get a coffee, maybe even some breakfast then look for a place to stay. He wasn't sure if he was going to stay long, but it looked like a good place to start.

Looking straight ahead, Trey could see the concerned look in the friendly woman's eyes. He wasn't use to people treating him nicely, except for the Cohens and Marissa.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I accidentally fell asleep. I was waiting for the owner of this place to open up. I got into town kinda early."

When Karen saw the boy open his eyes, she smiled. Maybe it was because of her son Lucas, but she saw all young men his age as boys.

"Well, you're in luck. Hi my name's Karen." Karen extended her hand.

Trey looked confused, why was she nice to him? He had done nothing to deserve it. He took her hand.

"Thanks. I'm Trey."

Trey got up and turned around to pick up his bag. The name of the sign caught his eye, and then it registered with him.

"Wait… Are you Karen?" Trey said pointing to the sign. Karen laughed.

"Yeah that's me. Come on, come in, I'll make you some breakfast and a coffee."

Trey followed her inside.

The second part of Peyton's ritual had become breakfast at Karen's Café. Walking into the café, Peyton noticed Karen talking to a guy she had never seen before, she was intrigued. Walking up to the counter Peyton placed her bag on the stool and sat down.

"Hey Karen"

Karen had just poured Trey a cup of coffee when Peyton walked in and sat at the counter a few seats up from Trey.

"Oh hi Peyton, what can I get you this morning?"

"Just a coffee, black. Thanks"

Karen poured Peyton a coffee.

Trey heard the convocation going on between Karen and some girl who just walked in and sat next to him. He looked up from his coffee and saw a girl with short blond hair and beautiful brown eyes.

"Hey."

"Oh sorry, Trey this is Peyton, Peyton this is Trey. Trey just moved here from Orange County. Peyton is a friend of my son's, they go to school together."

Peyton smiled, "Hey, nice to meet you."

Trey just nodded and smiled back.

"Well I'll just be in the kitchen, Trey your food should be up soon."

"Oh thank you Ms. Rowe."

"Karen, please."

Peyton sipped on her coffee.

"So, what's someone from the OC doing in Tree Hill?"

"I'm not from the OC, I was just there for a while visiting my brother. I'm from Chino."

It seemed like that was a bit of a sore subject for Trey because when he mentioned the OC and his brother, he had this look on his face. This was just something else that intrigued Peyton.

"So, where you staying?"

"Um, I haven't figured that out yet. Know of anywhere good, and by that I mean cheep?"

He's funny; I like that, Peyton thought to herself "Well how long do you plan on staying?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'll just see how it goes. You never know, if I find a cool job a reasonable place to live… I might like it here. So, you're in high school."

"Um yeah, my final year. So you just moved here without any plan of where you might stay and without knowing anyone?"

"Yeah, but it's cool. I'm a big boy, I know how to look after myself."

Peyton laughed, "Ok 'big boy', but if you would like some help, meet me here at about 3. I'm off to class."

Peyton leaned over the counter and shouted, "Bye Karen."

Karen walked out with Trey's food, just as Peyton was leaving.

"Oh bye sweaty."

Karen placed the plate in front of Trey. "Here you go, I hope you like it."

The food smelt good, Trey was starving. The bacon and eggs looked good also. "I'm sure I will" Trey says with a hungry smile.

"So, I saw that you and Peyton where getting along. She's a real sweetheart."

Trey took a bight of the bacon and with a mouth full said, "Yeah, she's nice." He saw the disapproving look on Karen's face. Trey put his fork down and swallowed his food. "Sorry… she's real nice."

Karen was pleased with herself. He had that same look on his face as Lucas did every time he new he did something wrong.

"So what's the plan for the rest of the day?"

"I think I'm going to look around the town and then meet Peyton back here at 3. She said she would help me find a place."

"Ok then, well you know where to come for lunch."

"Thanks. So how much do I owe you?"

"Oh no don't worry about it, think of it as the welcome to Tree Hill special."

Trey couldn't believe that he had met such a nice person. He thought his brother was the only one with that kind of luck. Not that he expected Karen to put him up in her equivalent of a pool house, he was just happy for her kindness.


	2. First Lucas, then Jake and now Trey

Chapter Two. - First Lucas, then Jake and now Trey. 

Peyton sat in her English class completely distracted, even her best friend Brooke was paying more attention then her and that was saying something. Peyton couldn't keep her mind off the guy she met this morning, Trey. She began sketching his face; there was something about him. She remembered the pain she saw in his eyes and tried to capture it in her drawing.

Brooke noticed that her friend wasn't paying attention. She wanted to know what freaky drawing she was drawing now. She new that would tell her what was wrong with her friend. Whenever something was bothering Peyton, you would know what it was by looking at her drawings.

Brooke leaned over and saw that Peyton was sketching the face of a gorgeous, dark and brooding guy. She was confused, if Peyton had met a new hot guy, why the face?

"Sawyer" whispered Brooke. "Sawyer".

Peyton stopped her drawing. "What?"

"Who's the hottie?"

Peyton just laughed and shook her head. She looked up at the clock and saw that it was almost 2:30pm. The day had gone quickly and quietly, Peyton spent most of the day alone in the library. Today was just one of those days that Peyton needed to spend some time alone.

The bell rang and Peyton grabbed her bag and her visual diary and began to walk out the classroom. She hopped to get out quick enough before Brooke caught up with her and she'd have to answer some questions.

"Peyton!" shouted Brooke. "Hey Peyton wait up."

Peyton continued walking so Brooke ran after her. There was no way Brooke was going to let Peyton get away without an explanation. They were best friends; Brooke was entitled, so she thought.

Brooke finally caught up with Peyton as she got to her car. "So P. Sawyer, why the dash? Got a secret date with the hottie?"

Peyton just laughed, sometimes Brooke knew her better then anyone else… and there were time when she didn't. But this time was one of those times when she did, and she new Brooke new also. She hated that.

"I'll see you tomorrow Brooke."

Peyton drove off leaving a very stunned and annoyed Brooke Davis.

"Well, he must be hot if she's blowing me off." Brooke said to herself.

Trey spent the day just walking around the town. Karen let him leave his bags at the café. The town was nice, it was friendlier the Chino, not so rough and not as crazy as New Port beach. Maybe he wont get into as much trouble here… he hoped.

As Trey walked back to the café, he bumped into a guy that he was sure he would have bumped into back in New Port. He looked like one of those water player guys, like he would say to Sandy Cohen, "he had one of those faces I could just smash".

Lucas was about to walk into his mum's café when he bumped into this guy.

"Hey sorry man, didn't see you there."

Lucas looked up and saw this guy just stare at him; it wasn't the friendliest look. 'OK' he thought to himself. Lucas opened the door to let the guy in.

Trey just walked in.

Peyton arrived at the café before Trey had so she just waited for him on one of the couches. She heard the door open and looked that way only to see Trey walk in, in front of Lucas. Trey didn't look happy and Lucas just looked confused. This should be interesting, Peyton thought to herself.

"Hey guys." Peyton said with a smile.

Lucas and Trey both turned to look at each other, both with the how-do-you-know-her look.

Peyton started with the introductions.

"Lucas, this is Trey. He just moved here from the OC, Trey, this is Lucas. His mum owns the café."

When Trey heard that Lucas was Karen's son, he automatically felt really bad. "Oh hey sorry man… about before." He pulled out his hand to shake Lucas's.

Lucas was still confused about the whole thing but shook Trey's hand.

"That's cool man."

"Your mum has a great place and she's real nice too."

"Thanks, yeah she is… So how do you two know each other?" Lucas asked looking at both Trey and Peyton.

Peyton jumped in first with a response.

"I met him this morning here, I told him to meet me back here so I could take him apartment hunting and maybe even job hunting. So I guess we better go, it's getting late. I'll see you later Luke."

"See ya" said Trey as he followed Peyton outside.

Lucas saw Deb clearing one the tables. "Hey Deb."

"Oh hi Lucas, how was school?"

"Umm ok. Do you know what time my mum comes back?"

"She should be back in about an hour, is there something I can help you with?"

"Umm nah I'm ok… I was just wondering if you knew who that guy was, the guy that I walked in with and then left with Peyton?"

"Who Trey?"

"Yeah, have you met him too?"

"Oh no, but before I took over for your mum she told me about him. She said that he was coming back here to meet Peyton and that he was leaving his bag here for now. She said he was really sweet."

Lucas turned around and watched Trey and Peyton walk down the street.

"So… what did you all day while I was away?" Peyton asked Trey teasingly.

"Just walked around… it's interesting to see how people will treat you, especially when you look like me."

"Do you want to drive, or do you want to walk for a bit." Peyton cut in.

"Oh, where's your car?"

"Right over there." Peyton points to her black convertible.

Trey raises one eyebrow, "Really… well I've been walking all day, lets drive for a while."

They both walk to the car, Peyton gets in the driver's seat and Trey gets in next to her.

"I love your car, now this is what I'm talking about. Ryan and I would have loved one of these."

"Ryan your brother?"

"Yeah…"

"So how have you found the people in Tree Hill so far?"

"Well surprisingly so far no one has wanted to call the police."

Peyton found this funny, "Why would they do that?"

"You'd be surprised. This is all I've had to put up with my while life."

Peyton suddenly felt saddened by this… he seems like a nice guy, Peyton thought to herself. Trey intrigued her, made her want to find out more about him. He seemed deep but misunderstood at the same time. Peyton seemed to always find herself attracted these kinds of guys… First Lucas, then Jake and now Trey. There was something about him.

Peyton didn't know where she was going to take Trey, it was almost five pm and everything was beginning to close. She felt bad for him; he had nowhere to go for the night. Peyton began to contemplate an idea in her head. Her father was gone for the night for some meeting out of town; they had a spare bedroom at home…


	3. Cheeky Smiles

**Chapter Three – Cheeky Smiles**

They were only minutes away from Peyton's house, so she thought she would just drive home and then see how Trey felt about spending the night.

Trey could not get over the car; he loved it. But what he loved more was the fact that the car was Peyton's. When he first met Marissa, he thought he had never met anyone like her before… and he hadn't… till now. Peyton was different, although he didn't know her that well, he could tell there was just something about her.

Trey found himself just staring at Peyton as she drove. He didn't care where they were driving to, as long as he was in this moment with her. He suddenly recieved a quick flash back of himself and Marissa on the beach. He tried to shake it off with out alarming Peyton. He quietly preyed that he would never do anything that stupid again to someone he cared about.

The car started to slow down, and then stopped in front a house. Trey turned his head to see where he was. He turned his head back to Peyton and looked at her confused.

"Where are we?"

"I know I said that I would help you look for a place, but looking at the time now, I've realised that everything is closing now and so I thought you could crash at my place for the night."

Trey was shocked. Peyton didn't even know him and her she was offering to put him up for the night. He couldn't believe it.

"Wow Peyton, that's really nice of you but I couldn't…"

"No no… it's ok. My dad is out for the night and isn't coming home till tomorrow night. It's fine; tomorrow is Saturday so I have no school. We can have the whole day to look for a place for you and even a job too. What do you think?"

Trey was trying to think what he had done to deserve such kindness; he knew it was nothing recently. He definitely wasn't going to screw this up this time.

"Only if you're sure it's no trouble, you really don't have to do this, I'm sure I could find something."

"Seriously, it's ok… come on."

Peyton took the keys out of the ignition, opened the car door and stepped out.

"Where's your bag, you did have one right?"

At that moment Trey remembered that he left his bag at Karen's Café.

"Oh shit, I left it at Karen's Café.

"That's cool, we can pick it up later. Come on, I'll show you inside."

Trey followed her inside. It wasn't the Cohen's mansion, but it was cosy, homely and he liked that. The first room they walked into was the lounge room. Trey looked around and saw a mantel piece with photos on it. He walked closer to get a better look. They were photos of Peyton as a little girl with her mum and dad, but as Peyton ages in the photos the fewer photos of her mum there are. He remembered that she had said that her dad was out of town, there was no mention of her. This made Trey wonder where her mum was.

Peyton had made her way into the kitchen. She poured two glasses of water and walked back into the lounge and handed one of the glasses to Trey.

"Thank you." Said Trey.

"You're welcome." Peyton said with a smile. "I'll show you around the rest of the house."

So Trey followed her, seeing the kitchen, bathroom, the spare room he would be sleeping in and then she stopped in front of her bedroom door.

"And this is my room."

Trey had no idea what to expect. As Peyton opened the door a million things ran through Trey's mind, he kept going back to how she could be so nice to him without even knowing him and would she be so nice if she knew…

Peyton didn't know if what she was doing was the right thing or not but she couldn't let him sleep on the street and besides, if Karen thought he was ok, then maybe he was.

Trey walked in and was in awe, Peyton's room was amazing. He looked around and saw a lot of sketches on her wall and on her desk, as well as writings and paintings also on the wall.

"So this is your room." Trey stated as he looked around. "It's dark… I like it."

"Thanks." Peyton answered nervously. She pulled out a chair and positioned it across from the bed for Trey to sit on.

"Sit down… oh wait! Do you want anything to eat or drink before we get compfortable?"

"Umm… Yeah sure, what do you have?"

Peyton didn't know why she was so nervous, ok yes, there was a stranger in her room. A gorgeous stranger, but still… there was something more to her nervous feelings. It was the kind of nervous feelings that creates butterflies in your stomach. There have only been a few other gorgeous guys in her bedroom that have given her butterflies, Nathan, Lucas and Jake. This isn't good, she thought to herself.

"So can I sit now?" Trey asked pulling Peyton from her reverie.

"Oh sure… sorry." Peyton said embarresingly, then walked of the room.

As the hours passed, Peyton and Trey just talked. Pizza was ordered so the two of them were sitting on the floor, leaning against Peyton's bed eating Pizza and drinking coke.

"So you're a nerd huh?" Trey said teasingly as he pointed to Peyton's computer stuff.

"Hey!" Peyton answered back, mocking offence.

Trey just laughed.

"I love all that stuff, I don't think I could live without my computer, ipod, webcam and podcast."

When Trey heard "webcam", the cheesiest smile grew on his face.

"Hey… not that kind of webcam, you're such a guy." Peyton said as she playfully shoved him.

"Sorry." Trey said as he put up his I-surrender-hands.

"No really… It's a lot easier for me to connect with nameless and faceless people around the world then it is with even my closest fiends. There is no judgement, it's just me and my pod people."

Peyton smiles, then pauses.

"Maybe I am a nerd".

"That's cool… So if I look you up, I'll find out who you really are?" Trey asked with a hint cheekiness.

Peyton returned that cheeky smile.

"Listen out for my next podcast, you might get a shout out".

There was a moments pause between both of them.

"I'll do that."


	4. So how do you like your eggs?

Chapter Four - So how do you like your eggs?

"So this is your room." Trey stated as he looked around. "It's dark… I like it."

"Thanks." Peyton answered nervously. She pulled out a chair and positioned it across from the bed for Trey to sit on.

"Sit down… oh wait! Do you want anything to eat or drink before we get comfortable?"

"Umm… Yeah sure, what do you have?"

Peyton didn't know why she was so nervous, ok yes, there was a stranger in her room. A gorgeous stranger, but still… there was something more to her nervous feelings. It was the kind of nervous feelings that creates butterflies in your stomach. There have only been a few other gorgeous guys in her bedroom that have given her butterflies, Nathan, Lucas and Jake. This isn't good, she thought to herself.

"So can I sit now?" Trey asked pulling Peyton from her reverie.

"Oh sure… sorry." Peyton said embarresingly, then walked of the room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As the hours passed, Peyton and Trey just talked. Pizza was ordered so the two of them were sitting on the floor, leaning against Peyton's bed eating Pizza and drinking coke.

"So you're a nerd huh?" Trey said teasingly as he pointed to Peyton's computer stuff.

"Hey!" Peyton answered back, mocking offence.

Trey just laughed.

"I love all that stuff, I don't think I could live without my computer, ipod, webcam and podcast."

When Trey heard "webcam", the cheesiest smile grew on his face.

"Hey… not that kind of webcam, you're such a guy." Peyton said as she playfully shoved him.

"Sorry." Trey said as he put up his I-surrender-hands.

"No really… It's a lot easier for me to connect with nameless and faceless people around the world then it is with even my closest fiends. There is no judgement, it's just me and my pod people."

Peyton smiles, then pauses.

"Maybe I am a nerd".

"That's cool… So if I look you up, I'll find out who you really are?" Trey asked with a hint cheekiness.

Peyton returned that cheeky smile.

"Listen out for my next podcast, you might get a shout out".

There was a moments pause between both of them.

"I'll do that."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next morning Peyton woke up in her bed. For a few moments she just layed there as the memories from the previous night come flooding back to her. The last thing she remembered was lying on the floor talking to Trey, while he leans against the bed. _'I must have fallen asleep and then he…'_ Peyton didn't want to continue that thought, she was afraid to.

Slowly she lifted the covers to see what she was wearing. A wave a of relief swept over her body when she recognised her sleep wear as the clothes she was wearing last night. The smell of food came wafting into her bedroom and woke her senses right up. Peyton sat up in her bed and breathed in the aroma. _'Mmm…. Nothing better beats bacon and eggs for breakfast._' She thought to herself with a smile.

Having breakfast cooked for her was something that only happened when her mum was alive, and since then, only when her dad was home… which wasn't often. Her mind then wondered to Ellie, the woman who gave her up for adoption almost 18 years ago, that now wants to be apart of her life.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Trey was in the kitchen making breakfast, the events of the night just passed played through his mind. It was the first time he had spent the whole night with a beautiful woman and not _'try'_ anything. He had learnt his lesson. After almost raping someone special to him, betraying and almost killing his brother, getting shot and almost dying himself and being in a coma for about three months, it was enough to steer anyone on the right path.

"Morning"

Hearing Peyton's voice pulled Trey from that dark place that is his memories.

"So how do you like your eggs?"

Peyton smiled and replied. "Scrambled."

"Good… Me too." Trey said with a smile.


End file.
